The Christian Quotation of the Day

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Saturday, May 06, 2017

Dodd: mysticism

Saturday, May 6, 2017 Meditation: But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. —Romans 13:14 (ESV) Quotation: The Gospel used to be presented as an appeal to believe in the Saviour who “did it all for me long ago,” and then retired to a remote heaven where He receives the homage of believers till He comes again to inaugurate the Millennium. The mind of our generation, having little comprehension or taste for such a message, is usually content to try to discover “the Jesus of history,” conceived as a human example and teacher of a distant past. Meanwhile, there exists always alongside all forms of religious belief the great tradition of mystical experience. The mystic knows that, whatever be the truth about an historic act or person, there is a Spirit dwelling in man. In our time even natural science abates its arrogant denials and admits the possibility of such immanence... The weak point of mysticism, as seen at least by a matter-of-fact person, is that it is apt to be so nebulous ethically. What the Immanent is, those who claim most traffic with It can often least tell us. Is It a power making for righteousness, or is It a higher synthesis of good and evil? Or is It not a moral—that is to say, not a personal—Being at all?... The raising of these questions is not intended to throw any doubt upon the validity of mystical experience as such; but we have a right to ask what content is given in the experience. Paul was a mystic, but all his mystical experience had a personal object. It was Jesus Christ, a real, living person—historic, yet not of the past alone; divine, yet not alien from humanity. ... C. Harold Dodd (1884-1973), The Meaning of Paul for Today, London: Swarthmore, 1920, reprint, Fount Paperbacks, 1978, p. 128-129 (see the book) See also Rom. 13:14; Gal. 3:26-27; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 2:8; 3:9-12Quiet time reflection: Lord, You are present within me.

Friday, May 05, 2017

Underhill: obstacle to grace

Friday, May 5, 2017 Meditation: Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” —Hebrews 3:7-11 (ESV) Quotation: If the Christian penitent dares to ask that his many departures from the Christian norm, his impatience, gloom, self-occupation, unloving prejudices, reckless tongue, feverish desires, with all the damage they have caused to Christ’s Body, ... be set aside, because—in spite of all—he longs for God and Eternal Life; then he too must set aside and forgive all that the impatience, selfishness, bitter and foolish speech, [and] sudden yieldings to base impulse in others have caused him to endure. Hardness is the one impossible thing. Harshness to others in those who ask and need the mercy of God sets up a conflict at the very heart of personality and shuts the door upon grace. ... Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), Abba, New York: Longmans, Green, 1940, p. 64-65 (see the book) See also Heb. 3:7-13; 2 Chr. 30:8; Pr. 29:1; Matt. 13:15; Rom. 2:5-6; Eph. 4:32Quiet time reflection: Lord, melt the stone of my heart in the blast-furnace of Your love.

Thursday, May 04, 2017

Tillotson: the promises of the Gospel

Thursday, May 4, 2017 Feast of English Saints & Martyrs of the Reformation Meditation: [Jesus:] “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” —Mark 11:25-26 (ESV) Quotation: It is a great mistake, and of very pernicious consequence to the souls of men, to imagine that the gospel is all promises on God’s part, and that our part is only to believe them, and to rely upon God for the performance of them, and to be very confident that He will make them good, though we do nothing else but only believe that He will do so. That the Christian religion is only a declaration of God’s good-will to us, without any expectation of duty from us: this is an error which one could hardly think could ever enter into any who have the liberty to read the Bible, and do attend to what they read and find there. The three great promises of the gospel are all very expressly contained in our Saviour’s first sermon upon the Mount. There we find the promise of blessedness often repeated; but never absolutely made, but upon certain conditions, plainly required on our parts; as repentance, humility, righteousness, mercy, peaceableness, meekness, patience. Forgiveness of sins is likewise promised; but only to those who make a penitent acknowledgement of them, and ask forgiveness for them, and are ready to grant that forgiveness to others, which they beg of God for themselves. The gift of God’s Holy Spirit is likewise promised, but it is upon condition of our earnest and importunate prayer to God. The gospel is everywhere full of precepts enjoining duty and obedience upon our part, as well as of promises on God’s part, assuring blessings to us; nay, full of terrible threatenings also if we disobey the precepts of the gospel. ... John Tillotson (1630-1694), Works of Dr. John Tillotson, v. V, London: J. F. Dove, for R. Priestley, 1820, Sermon XCVII, p. 205-206 (see the book) See also Mark 11:25-26; Matt. 6:14-15; Luke 6:37; Eph. 4:32; Tit. 2:11-14; 2 Pet. 1:4Quiet time reflection: Lord, grant me Christian character.

Wednesday, May 03, 2017

Lewis: the true language of Christian doctrine

Wednesday, May 3, 2017 Meditation: For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. —1 Corinthians 15:3-8 (ESV) Quotation: The [Christian] “doctrines” are translations into our concepts and ideas of that which God has already expressed in language more adequate, namely the actual incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection. ... C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), Letters of C. S. Lewis, ed. W. H. Lewis, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003, letter, 1931, p. 189 (see the book) See also 1 Cor. 15:3-8; Rom. 4:25; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Tim.3:15-16; 4:16; Tit. 1:9; 2:1; 1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 2:2Quiet time reflection: Lord, may I never forget Your Passion, even for a moment.

Tuesday, May 02, 2017

Allshorn: whole-hearted yearning

Tuesday, May 2, 2017 Feast of St. Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, Teacher, 373 Meditation: I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart. —Jeremiah 24:7 (ESV) Quotation: “They shall return unto me with their whole heart.” “Ye shall search for me with all your heart.” He makes a direct call to us for single-mindedness: a single-minded longing for Him—no lesser aim will do; no desire to be good, no striving to measure up to some standard we have set for ourselves, to correct some failure we have been shown in our way of life. These may be temporarily necessary but they will turn to dust and ashes—they will end in a grim dryness—unless at the back of them all is what He asks of us—a never-ending search for a real knowledge of Him, for a sense of His reality, a confidence in His companionship, a joy and delight in the very person of God Himself. It is for this that we must learn to long and long, till our prayers for it become not just a form of words, but a stretching out of our whole being to Him. ... Florence Allshorn (1887-1950), The Notebooks of Florence Allshorn, London: SCM Press, 1957, p. 31 (see the book) See also Jer. 24:7; Deut. 30:6; Jer. 29:13; 31:33-34; Eze. 11:19-20; Hos. 6:6; Matt. 6:33; Jas. 1:5-8; 4:8Quiet time reflection: Lord, I am living Your promise.

Monday, May 01, 2017

Maxwell: the divine equation

Monday, May 1, 2017 Feast of Philip & James, Apostles Meditation: Receive [Wisdom’s] instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. —Proverbs 8:10-11 (KJV) Quotation: Almighty God, who created humanity after your image and gave them living souls that they may seek you and rule your creation, teach us so to investigate the works of your hand that we may subdue the earth to our use, and strengthen our intelligence for your service. And grant that we may so receive your Word as to believe in him whom you sent to give us the science of salvation and the forgiveness of our sins. All this we ask in the name of the same Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ... James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) (see the book) See also Prov. 8:10-11; Luke 24:45-47; Eph. 5:13-14; Phil. 3:8Quiet time reflection: Lord, keep me from vanity, and lead me to seek Your truth.

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Brother Lawrence: failing in duty

Sunday, April 30, 2017 Commemoration of Pandita Mary Ramabai, Translator of the Scriptures, 1922 Meditation:God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. —Psalm 46:1-3 (NIV) Quotation: He had no qualms; “for,” said he, “when I fail in my duty, I readily acknowledge it, saying, ‘I am used to do so; I shall never do otherwise if I am left to myself’. If I fail not, then I give God thanks, acknowledging that the strength comes from Him.” ... Brother Lawrence (c.1605-1691), The Practice of the Presence of God, New York, Revell, 1895, Second Conversation, p. 13 (see the book) See also Ps. 46:1-3; 18:1-2; 1 Cor. 1:25; 2 Cor. 11:30; 12:9; Phil. 4:13; 1 Tim. 1:12Quiet time reflection: Lord, You have granted me all my strengths and hold me up in all my weaknesses.